Residents of the more far-flung communities in the federal riding of Mission–Matsqui–Fraser Canyon now have a new contact person in the office of MP Jati Sidhu.
Longtime Lillooet resident Jacquie Rasmussen has been appointed the Northern Constituency Coordinator for the large riding, and will be the contact person in Mr. Sidhu’s office for residents in Lytton, Spences Bridge, Ashcroft, Cache Creek, and Lillooet.
“It’s a very large riding, spanning over 350 kilometres, and we needed someone with the necessary experience to act as a liaison for constituents to ensure access to federal government services,” says Mr. Sidhu. “We made a commitment during the campaign that we would help everyone in the riding, regardless of location, reach us with any concerns they might have.”
Rasmussen has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Victoria, and has worked for more than 20 years in Lillooet in the natural resource sector. She also has considerable community involvement, including coaching and refereeing in minor hockey and judging in figure skating. She’s currently involved as a coordinator for the Lillooet Regional Invasive Species Society.
“I’m more of an information conduit,” she says of her new role. “People can call me or arrange meetings if they have questions or concerns, and I’ll be able to get them the answers they deserve.” She says that she’s been talking to staff at Sidhu’s Mission office, and been down there, to see what they do and what they face. “They get a lot of questions about immigration, but it will probably be different up here.”
She says she’ll be making herself as available as possible, and will be Sidhu’s public face in the area if the MP is unable to attend an event. “I’ll try to do the best I can to provide regional coverage. I won’t be a familiar face in Ashcroft and Cache Creek, but I’ve lived in Lillooet for 20 years. People won’t have to deal with someone from the big city who’s less familiar with rural and northern communities.”
Rasmussen can be contacted by phone at (250) 256-2101, or e-mail at Jati.Sidhu.C1@parl.gc.ca.
